Blowing-engine.



No. 872,492.- PATENTED mm, 1907.

H. AIKEN.

BLOWING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.1,1903.

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N9. 872,492 PATENTED DEG. 3,-1907.

H. AIKEN;

BLOWING ENGINE. I APIILIQATIOK FILED DEG.1,1903.

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PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907.

H. AIKEN. BLOWING ENGINP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC 1, 1903.

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PATENTED DEC. 3, 1901.

H. AIKEN. BLOWING ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.1,1903.

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PATENTED DEC. 3. 1907.

H. AIKEN. BLOWING ENGINE,

APPLICATION FILED DEC-1| 1903.

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INVE TOR PATENTED DEM, 1 907.

H. AIKEN.

BLOWING ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED DEG.1,1903.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES THE NORRIS PrrERs 0a., wAsumarom-u. t.

HENRY AIKEN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLOWING-ENGINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed December 1, 1903. Serial No. 183.36%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AIKEN, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania,

7 have invented a new and useful Blowing- Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away showing my combined explosive engine and compressor or blowing engine Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged detail views showing the inlet and outlet valves for the explosion cylinder; Fig. 5 is a broken plan view on a larger scale showing the valve and igniter mechanism; Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation showing the mechanism of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of the two cylinders; Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the outlet-valve mechanism, and Fig. 9 is a top plan viewof the blowing engine cylinder showing the inlet and outlet ports with two valves in place.

My invention relates to the operating of blowing engines or compressors by explosive engines; and'is designed to provide a new and effective system by which a single acting explosive motor may be economically combined with a compressor.

It is further designed to provide for a direct connection between, the pistons or plungers of the two cylinders and to do away With the use of the intermediate cranks and pitmanconnections commonly employed. I

1n the drawings 2 represents a vertical explosive engine cylinder having the usual water-cooling jacket 3 and lower watercooled head i. The blowing engine cylinder ,5 is concentrically superimposed upon the cylinder 2, and is preferably of greater diameter than the explosion cylinder. The blowing engine piston 6 is preferably formed integrally with the plunger-7 of the explosive motor. As I desire these two combined parts to be of great weight, I preferably form them as a hollow casting with a separate cast weight 8 dropped into the cavity. The construction of the piston and plunger may, however, be widely varied provided sufficient weight is afforded to carry out the desired functions.

verse partition 10 which divides the cavity I into an inlet-chamber 11 and a wind-box chamber 12. The air-inlet valves 13 are set within the tubular valve castings 14 extending through the chamber 11 and having valve seats at their inner ends. These castings fit against holes in the inner shell of the head, and the valves may be normally closed by springs 15 surrounding their stems.

The discharge valves 16 are within the wind-box chamber 12 and are shown as having stems 17 movable within the guide-castings 18 secured in the chamber by external plates 19. These valves may be held down to their seats by springs 20 surrounding their stems. From the wind-box 12 an airoutlet channel 21 leads downwardly into an annular chamber 22 formed in the lower annular head of the compressor-cylinder around the upper end of the explosive cylinder. This annular chamber is divided into an inlet-compartment 22 and an outletcompartment 23 by means of partitions 24 located at opposite sides of the annular chamber. The air flowing down through the channel 21 is admitted. to the blowing engine cylinder beneath its piston through upwardly opening valves 25 guided and held within cages 26 in the chamber 22 and normally closed by spiral springs 27.

In the down-stroke of the piston the air is forced out into the chamber 23 through the downwardly seating outlet-valves 28 carried in suitable cages 29 and normally held to their seats by springs 30. From the chamber 23 the compressed air flows out through a port 31 to a pipe leading to the receiver or place of use. The inlet-valves 25 and the outlet-valves 28 are thus arranged in a circular series around the annular chamber 22 which surrounds the cylinder 3. The valves are therefore easily accessible for repair and adjustment. Y

The gas engine cylinder is preferably of the two-cycle type, the mixture being fed in and ignited at every upward stroke. The particular valve and igniter system for the cylinder 2 may be widely varied within the scope of my invention, but the air or gas, or both, should be admitted under suitable pressure in order to float or lift the plunger to give a space of the proper volume to receive the requisite'amount of air and gas to do the work. I have shown for this purpose-two inlet-ports 32 leading from chamber 33 to which the air and gas mixture is supplied through admission-ports 34; and four exhaust-ports 35 leading into the exhaustchamber 36 which communicateswith the open air through the port 37. One of the admission-valves 38 is shown in Fig. 3, its stem 39 extending downwardly and having a spiral spring 40 bearing upon an adjustable disk 41 by which the tension may be regulated. The protruding ends of the admission-valve stems 39 areactuated by levers 42, pivoted at 43 and having rollers 44 which are engaged by cams 45. Each cam 45 is formed integrally with a hub loosely surrounding the shaft 47 and having at its other end a downwardly projecting lever arm 48 as shown in Fig. 6. The lever arm 48 is adapted to be engaged by stop blocks 49 and 50 adjustably secured to a toothed wheel '51 centrally secured to the shaft. The shaft 47 is oscillated by a rack 52 formed as a part of a reciprocating rod 53 which slides through a guide 54 upon the side of the cylinder 2, projects into the compressor cylinder through a stuffing box 55 in the partition 24 and is secured to the annular projecting portion of the piston 6. The cams for both admissionvalves are mounted upon the same shaft 47 and are worked simultaneously. This is shown at the lower portion of Fig. 1.

The exhaust-valves are at the opposite side of the lower head, and one of these valves 56 is shown in Fig. 4. It is held to its seat by a spring 57 bearing upon an adjustable collar 58 on the stem 59. The four exhaust-valves are arranged in pairs as shown in Fig. 8, and the lever and lost-motion cam devices 42 and 45 are similar to those for the admission-valves. The exhaust-valve shaft 47 is actuated in the same manner as the shaft 47 through the gear wheel 51 and rack 52 formed on the reciprocatingrod 53. Attention is here directed to the fact that the fluid pressure from the passage 21 is directed against a subannular portion of the rear side of the piston enlargement and therefore there is a tendency of the piston to tilt within the cylinders, which tendency is prevented by the guide bars 53 and 53', working in the guideways 54 and 54', carried by the power cylinder 2.

The igniting mechanism may be of any desirable type, and I have shown the igniterrods 60 having their projecting ends secured to a bar 61. This bar is in the path of a double cam lever or rocker 62 pivoted at 63 and normally held in a vertical position by spring-pressed pins 64. The rocker 62 is actuated by a roller 65 adjustably mounted upon the gear wheel 51.

' In the operation of the engine the air and gas mixture is admitted through the admission-valves in the lower headiof the explosion cylinder and under a considerable pressure. For example, if the Weight of the combined above atmospheric pressure before the discharge-valves 16 open, which occurs at about one-half stroke. The discharge-valves thus open under the fifteen pounds pressure, and the air passes down through the channel 21, and into the inlet-chamber 22. From this inlet-chamber the air under the fifteen pounds pressure is admitted through the valves 25 to the lower side of the piston and aids in forcing the piston through the remainder of its upward stroke. At the end of the upward stroke the space below the piston in the compressor is filled with air at fifteen pounds pressure, this space being properly proportioned to hold the compressed air at this pressure. The force of explosion having been spent, the piston and plunger start downwardly under the action of gravity. Owing to the great weight of the piston and plunger, they will act to compress the air in the annular chamber beneath the piston before the outlet valves 28 open. These valves preferably open at about thirty pounds pressure, and as they open the air is forced out at this pressure into the receiver. During the down-stroke the waste products in the explosion cylinder are driven out through the exhaust-valves which are opened by one of the racks. The lost-motion cam devices on the valve-shaft serve to hold the valve in the open position for a predetermined interval, thevalves being opened at each double stroke.

The advantages of my invention result from the use of the vertical gravity-acting plunger and piston, which take the place of a fly-wheel and store up energy during the upward stroke and compress the air by gravity during the down-stroke. The same effect is therefore gotten as though there were two explosions to each double stroke, while the loss in radiation of heat is one-half what it would be in such case. from the arrangement of the return passage from the upper to the lower side of the compressor piston, the upper area of which is greater than the lower area, and preferably twice as great, and from the absence of stuffing boxes which my invention renders un-- necessary. I also derive advantage from the connection of the valve-operating mechanism of the explosion cylinder directly with They also result inder for the valve-actuating mechanism are dispensed with. The engine may be set directly on a base-plate or pedestal in a simple and effective manner, and the parts of the explosion cylinder may be readily watercooled,

Unless otherwise stated in the claims, parts of my invention may be utilized with power-cylinders operated by steam.

I claim 1. A double-acting blowing engine having one working stroke effected by power and the other working stroke by gravity, substantially as described.

2. A double-acting blowing engine having an upper compressor cylinder and a lower power cylinder forming continuations of one another, the upper compressor cylinder being thelarger in diameter, and a piston working in the lower cylinder and having an en largement working in the upper compressor cylinder, the upstroke being effected by ex plosion in the lower cylinder, and the return stroke being effected by gravity, substantially as described.

' 3. A double-acting blowing engine including an upright power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming an upright continuation of the power cylinder and having a closed outer end, a weighted piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, the outstroke of the piston being effected by powerand its return stroke by gravitation of the weighted piston, and inlet and outlet valves for each end of the compressor cylinder, whereby the compressor cylinder is double acting, substantially as described.

4. A double-acting blowing engine including a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder and provided at each end with valve-controlled inlet and outlet chambers, a passage leading from the outlet chamber at one end of the compressor cylinder to the inlet chamber at the opposite end of the com pressor cylinder, and a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, substantially as described.

5. A blowing engine including a compressor cylinder having valve-controlled inlet and outlet chambers at each end, and a passage leading from the outlet chamber at one end to the inlet chamber at the other end of the cylinder, whereby the outstroke of the piston is assisted by the initial compression, substantially as described.

6. A blowing engine including a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder and provided at its outer end with valvecontrolled inlet and outlet chambers, an annular chamber embracing the power cylinder at the inner end of the compressor cylinder and subdivided into an inlet compartment and an outlet compartment in valved communication. with the compressor cylinder, a passage leading from the outlet chamber at the outer end of the compressor cylinder to the inlet compartment at the other end of thecylinder, and a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlarge ment working in the compressor cylinder, substantially as described.

7. A blowing engine including a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder and having a closed outer end, an annular air chamber embracing the power cylinder at the inner end of the compressor cylinder and divided into an outlet compartment and an inlet compartment in valved communication with the compressor cylinder, and a piston working in the power cylinder and aving an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, substantially as described 8. A blowing engine including a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuationof the power'cylinder, a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, a valve for the power cylinder, and a valve controller connected to. the enlarged ortion of the piston and working through t 1e inner end of the compressor cylinder, substantially as described.

9. A blowing engine having a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder, a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlar ement working in the compressor cylinder, and valve mechanismfor the power cylinder including a pinion and a rack meshing therewith working through the inner end of the compressor cylinder and connected to the enlarged portion of the piston, substantially as described.

10. A blowing engine having an explosive power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation thereof, a piston working in the explosive cylinder ,and having an' enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, an igniter for the explosive cylinder, and means for controlling the 1gniter including a bar connected to the enlarged portion of the piston and working through the inner end of the compressor cylinder, substantially as described.

11. A blowing engine having an explosive power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation thereof, a piston working in the explosive cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, an inlet valve and an igniter for the explosive cylinder, and controlling means common to the valve and igniter and includ ing a bar connected to the enlarged portion of the piston and working through the inner end of the compressor cylinder, substantially as described.

12. The combination of an explosive cylinder having a terminal enlargement, a piston working in the cylinder and having an enlargement working in the cylinder enlargement, and valve mechanism for the cylinder including a bar connected to the enlarged portion of the piston and working through the inner end of the cylinder enlargement, substantially as described.

13. The combination of an explosive cylinder having a terminal enlargement, a piston working in the cylinder and having an en* largementoworking in the cylinder enlargement, an igniter, and means for controlling the igniter including a bar connected to the piston enlargement and working through the inner end of the cylinder enlargement, substantially as described.

14. The combination of an explosive cylinder having a terminal enlargement, a piston working in the cylinder and having an enlargement working in the .cylinder enlargement, an igniter and valve mechanism for the cylinder, and a controller common to the igniter and the valve mechanism and including a bar connected to the piston enlargement and working through the inner end of the cylinder enlargement, substantially as described.

15. A blowing engine having a compressor cylinder provided at each end with valvecontrolled inlet and outlet-chambers, a passage leading from the outlet chamber at the outer end of the cylinder to the inlet chamber at the inner end of the cylinder, a piston working in the cylinder, and guide rods car-' ried by the piston and working through one end of the cylinder, substantially as de scribed. I

16. A blowing engine having av compressor cylinder, a piston working in the cylinder, means for driving the piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to a subannular portion of the rear end of the piston, and guide rods carried by the piston and working through one endof the cylinder to prevent tilting of the piston under the action of the fluid pressure, substantially as described. 17. A blowing engine having a compressor cylinder provided at its outer end with valvecontrolled inlet and outlet chambers and at its inner end with subannular valve-con trolled inlet and outlet chambers, a passage leading from the outer outlet chamber to the subannular inlet chamber, a piston working in the compressor cylinder, piston-actuating means, and guide rods carried by the piston and working through one end of the cylinder to prevent tilting of the piston, substantially as described. 18. A blowing engine having a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder formin a continuation of the power cylinder,

va ve-controlled inlet and outlet chambers at the outer end of the compressor cylinder, a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, a subannular inlet chamber embracing the power cylinder and having valved communication with the inn erend of the compressor cylinder, a passage leading from the outlet chamber at the outer end of the cylinder to the subannular inlet chamber, a subannular outlet chamber embracing the power cylinder and having valved communication with the inner end of the compressor cylinder, and guide rods connected to the enlarged portion of the piston and working through one end of the compressor cylinder, substantially as described.

19. A blowing engine having a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder, valved-controlled inlet and outlet chambers at each end of the compressor cylinder, a passage leading from the outlet chamber at the outer end of the cylinder to the inlet chamber at the inner end of the cylinder, a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, valve mechanism for the power cylinder, and a valve-controlling rod carried by the enlarged portion of the piston and workin through the inner end of the compressor cy inder, substantially as described.

20. A blowing engine having a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder, a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, valve mechanism for the power cylinder, a valve controller rod carried by the piston enlargement and working through the inner end of the compressor cylinder, and a guide carried by the power cylinder and receiving the controller rod, substantially as described.

21. A blowing engine having a power cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming a continuation of the power cylinder, a piston working in the power cylinder and having an enlargement working in the compressor cylinder, means for admitting fluid pressure to a subannular portion of the rear side of the piston enlargement, a guideway upon the power cylinder, and a guide bar carried by the piston enlargement and working in the guideway, substantially as described.

22. A blowing engine comprising an upright explosive engine cylinder, an enlarged compressor cylinder forming an upright continuation of the explosive cylinder and having a closed upper end, inlet and outlet valves for each end of the compressor cylinder, a

Weighted piston working in the explosive cylinder and having an enlargement working in a piston working in the explosive cylinder and having an enlargement working 1n the compressor cylinder, valve'mechanism and an igniter for the explosive cylinder, means for admitting fluid pressure to a subannular portion of the rear of the enlargement of the piston, guideways upon the explosive cylinder, guide bars carried by the enlargement of the piston and Working in the guideways, and means actuated by one of the guidebars for controlling the valve mechanism and igniter, substantially as described.

24:. A blowing engine comprising an up.- right double-acting compressor cylinder having a piston, and an explosive cylinder alined vertically therewith and provided with a piston, one of the pistons being weighted and the two pistons being connected for simulta-v neous movement, the upstroke being effected by power and the return working stroke by gravitation of the weighted piston, substantially as described.

25. A blowing engine comprising an upright double-acting com ressor cylinder having a piston, and an exp osive cylinder .alined vertically therewith and provided with a weighted piston, the two pistons being connected for simultaneous movements and the upstroke being effected by power and the return working stroke by gravitation of the weighted piston, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY AIKEN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, H. M. CORWIN. 

